


target practice

by elibe



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi | Fire Emblem: Binding Blade
Genre: Family, Fluff, One Shot, Short & Sweet, aka lucius & raven adopt a bunch of kids and live happily ever after, dad raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-28 08:06:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20775281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elibe/pseuds/elibe
Summary: Chad knows that his guardian doesn’t mean to be harsh. It’s just his nature, Father had told him. Papa is tough because he cares about his children. He cares that they live a better youth than he did. He loves them with the ferocity of a thousand suns.





	target practice

**Author's Note:**

> just wanted to write something soft. i feel like chad & raven would have an interesting dynamic. also chad definitely learned his death stare from raven

Chad’s knife hits its target straight and true. He’s been getting much better ever since his Papa offered to help him practice. Chad had just turned thirteen, after all; he was the oldest out of all of his siblings. Regardless of how protective Father was, even he had admitted that Chad could benefit from learning to protect himself and their family.

“Not bad.” Papa grunts an affirmative from where he stands next to Chad. His scar-riddled arms are crossed over his chest — the one he got taking an arrow on the battlefield, the burn scars from his youth, the serrated claw marks of a dragon — and his sword hangs from the leather belt encircling his waist.

“That was better than  _ not bad!  _ I almost hit the center!” Chad protests, tugging incessantly at the hem of Papa’s coat. 

“ _ Almost  _ does you no good on the battlefield.” Papa grumbles. “Every move you make counts. You  _ cannot  _ take chances, understand?”

“Yes, Papa.” 

Chad knows that his guardian doesn’t mean to be harsh. It’s just his nature, Father had told him. Papa is tough because he cares about his children. He cares that they live a better youth than he did. He loves them with the ferocity of a thousand suns.

Said man clears his throat and brings his hand to rest on Chad’s shoulder. “I didn't mean to sound brash. You’re doing a fine job, especially for someone as young as you are.”

Chad sticks his tongue out. “I’m not  _ that  _ young! You’re just old.”

Papa barks in laughter. It’s a warm, hearty sound. “Hey, watch yourself! The years’ll past faster than you know it!” He kneels so that he is eye-to-eye with Chad. His auburn hair is mussed from the slight breeze. “And between you and me, Father is the old one.”

Chad snorts into the sleeve of Papa’s well-loved overcoat. “Just barely!”

Papa chuckles again and pats Chad on his back. “We’d better make our way home. You’ve done some good work today.”

“Alright.” Chad trots across the clearing and pulls his knife from the knotted tree trunk. Carefully, he slips it into its sheath. He’s cut his palm with it on accident and has since taken extra care, if only to stop Father from fretting.

The two walk in silence. The sound of their boots crunching on the leaves carpeting the forest floor barely penetrates the humming din of cicadas and crickets.

“I’m proud of you, you know.” Papa says under his breath. “The children look up to you.” He chuckles. “Reminds me of your father when he was your age; always making sure everything was okay and checking in on me incessantly.”

“I don’t think you minded it too much.” Chad smiles nonetheless. Papa’s words make him want to cry — praise from the usually-stoic man is special on account of how little he talks.

“Hush, you.” Papa grumbles. “Come now, your father is making supper.”

The former mercenary snorts when Chad picks up speed at the mention of food. The boy’s footfalls are heavy and his cape billows behind him as the two make their way to the cozy confines of their home.   
  



End file.
